Case Number 04828

KNIGHTS OF THE ZODIAC: OUT OF THE ARENA (VOLUME 3)

The Charge

"Boy, does this dog smell!" -- Reporter

Opening Statement

Yes, this dog does indeed smell and it smells like things are finally
trucking along. The series abandons the gladiator arena and moves the fight
outside. The lagging Knights of the Zodiac finally get some kinetic energy going
in Knights of the Zodiac: Out of the Arena (Volume 3). But is it
enough?

Facts of the Case

A tournament sponsored by Princess Sienna is held where the world's greatest
armored fighters do battle for a set of armor. One warrior, Seiya, fights to win
a chance to see his long lost sister again. Channeling the power of the Pegasus,
Seiya makes his way up the tournament ladder. Unfortunately for Seiya, other
warriors with motives as equally pure or darkly evil stand in his way. Seiya
makes uneasy allies with other Bronze Knights.

Third in the series, this entry features the following episodes:

"The Black Knights Appear" -- The Andromeda fights the Black Swan
who looks just like the regular Swan only he wears black armor. Princess Sienna
holds a press conference and admits the Golden Cloth is missing. The Phoenix
assigns his Black Knights to take on the Bronze Knights and recover the missing
pieces of the Golden Cloth. Best line this episode: "I'm not Swan. They
call me Black Swan." Does it get any better than that? (Grade: 10)

"Dragon in the Graveyard or Knights" -- Dragon Knight visits his
sensei and is sent on a Degobah-like rite of passage to restore his cloth's
powers. During his journey he encounters the strangely femme Moo and Moo's
annoying partner Kiki. Dragon Knight also takes a lesson in Glengarry Glenn Ross
salesmanship when he learns to "Always move forward." This is the
weakest episode thus far. (Grade: 5)

"The Nebula Chain of Friendship" -- The Bronze Knights do some
racial profiling when they take on their black armored counterparts, the Black
Knights. In the cut and dried world of the Zodiac, evil doppelgangers always
dress in black. The Swan and Phoenix engage in a psychic battle and the Bronze
Knights regain their cloths. (Grade: 10)

The Evidence

I am growing numb to the flashbacks. I think every episode has a flashback
quota. In the third installment, the story focuses a bit more on character.
Oddly, the series seems to focus more on the Dragon Knight than on the Pegasus
Knight and it's not a good choice. Seiya, the Pegasus Knight and series
protagonist, gets the short end of the development stick. One thing the
translators need to learn is that constant exposure does not necessarily equal
character growth.

Whenever it seems the story takes a step forward, it yanks itself several
steps back. Indeed, the story progresses, but not organically. I often found
myself hoping the episodes would quickly end and that the stories would reach
some resolution. The story keeps relying on family ties as a way to make the
viewer feel an attachment to these characters. Sadly, it doesn't work. Seiya's
quest for his sister (which really takes a backseat) and Nebula's search for his
brother's old personality don't execute well enough to illicit pity or hope --
only apathy.

What's worked against this series from the beginning is the dialogue. I
can't emphasize enough how pathetically written this series is. I wish it were
done better. I haven't mentioned it in either of the first two reviews, but at
the heart of this series I believe there is something salvageable -- I just
haven't found it yet.

As usual, the picture quality for this DVD is not impressive. This series
hasn't aged well. As I've noted before, the Knights of the Zodiac is
nearly twenty years old and looks its age, complete with fuzziness along the
edges. It sounds fine. Since the dialogue was recently re-recorded in English,
it sounds better than it looks.

Nothing special has been added to the DVD. We get some previews of other ADV
releases and a commercial for Knights of the Zodiac action figures.
Included within the package is a Knights of the Zodiac card for its
companion role-playing game.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

Two steps forward and one step back is still progress. It's a slow and
retarded progress, but movement nonetheless. At the very least, this series does
try to tell to a greater story, and at least it sometimes ends on a cliffhanger.
The title song isn't so bad, either.

Closing Statement

If you're really invested in this series, give the third volume a look. If
not, don't waste your time.

The Verdict

Have the producers of this series watched this DVD? That's my ruling: the
producers are forced to watch Knights of the Zodiac: Out of the Arena (Volume
3) again and again for the rest of their lives. Case closed.